During several decades high viscous guar-based gels remained main and single fluid type on Russian fracturing market. Having high viscosity and excellent proppant carrying capacity, crosslinked gel possesses damaging nature–it results in low retained conductivity of proppant pack even in case of oxidative destructors usage (<50%). In 2016-2017 low viscosity fluids based on synthetic polymer – polyacrylamide (High Viscosity Friction reducer, HiVis FR, HVFR, Viscous slickwater) started to be actively used in North America for shale fracturing. Along with improved sand carrying capacity in comparison with conventional FR due to its elastic properties, fluid demonstrated high retained conductivity of sand packs (~80%) confirmed during laboratory investigations, firstly performed by Stim-Lab (Stim-Lab Proppant Consortium 2015 – Fracturing Fluid Cleanup of various Low Polymer Fluid Systems; Stim-Lab Proppant Consortium - 2016 – Historical and current Friction Reducer Studies). However, fracturing design and job execution on conventional sandstones in Russia significantly differs from shales stimulations, i.e. serious work was required in order to start implementation of HiVis FR (Viscous slickwater) on sandstones in Russia. First field trials of Viscous slickwater were performed in Russia in the end of 2018 on conventional sandstones owned by "Gazpromneft-Khantos" - Gazpromneft subsidiary. In spring 2019 first time in the world full scale fracturing jobs, where Viscous slickwater with only ~30 cP at 511 s-1 demonstrated high transport efficiency to carry and place ceramic proppant at moderate rates (4-4.5 m3/min), as in combination with crosslinked gel as well as single fracturing fluid. Prior HiVis FR was qualified for application on sandstones as alternative to guar-based high viscous gels, major laboratory investigations were performed on novel fluid rheology, dynamic proppant transport, mechanical fluid properties, influence of breakers, etc (Loginov at al. 2019). Later, in field trials phase, additional laboratory testing was carried out to address specific fluid performance questions. New technology field trials for "Gazpromneft-Khantos" were executed with high operational success–according to initial fracturing design. Viscous slickwater was pumped as single fracturing fluid, as well in combination with crosslinked guar gels (≥50%). Jobs were performed on vertical, inclined and horizontal wells. Despitê20 fold difference in viscosity, high proppant transport efficiency of HiVis FR allowed to place standard for South part of Priobskoe oilfield designs in case of hybrids and slightly less aggressive designs in case of 100% jobs on slickwater. Application of Viscous slickwater allowed to identify number of advantages of novel fluid over traditional guar-based fluids both in terms of operational efficiency, location and environmental footprint and fluid performance characteristics. It was shown that start production of wells treated with slickwater were ~10-20% higher, and current production rate were comparable in comparison with traditional designs with higher proppant volume. Field trials on implementation of Viscous slickwater - fluids based on polyacrylamide on low viscosity reservoirs owned by "Gazpromneft Khantos" were proven to be successful both from operational and technological point of view and have become a new milestone in history of Russian fracturing. This basis could be key to the future effective development of analogical oilfields in the world.

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The study provides insights into the development of a data-driven model for hydraulic fracturing design optimization. We make a specific focus on practical aspects of testing the model in the field. Database for hydraulic fracturing treatments is built on the data from 22 oilfields in Western Siberia, Russia. The database contains about 5500 points with formation, well and fracturing process parameters, the target feature for model is a cumulative fluid production for 3 months. System and method for searching offset (similar) wells is also developed, tested and validated. Authors developed the model for predicting cumulative production that is used for futher hydraulic fracturing design optimization.

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The aim of the work is to determine the most cost-effective design of hydraulic fracturing with a fixed mass of proppant per operation under changing geological conditions. To obtain an optimal hydraulic fracturing design, serial simulations were carried out on a hydraulic fracturing simulator with a Planar3D model for fracture geometry. The database of proppant passports and rheological properties of hydraulic fracturing fluids were used as input data. A design optimization scheme was developed for different effective viscosities of fracturing fluids and different formation parameters. Since decision-making is strictly bounded to the accuracy of the mathematical model, the mathematical model was validated in pilot tests at the Priobskoye field. Aggressive designs with increased proppant concentration were carried out in 4 wells. Rheology was interpreted from fracturing fluid tests. The reliability data was assessed by the convergence of the model wellhead and bottomhole pressures with the measured ones. A pilot project was carried out in real conditions to validate the hydraulic fracturing simulator model with maximum data collection on reservoir geomechanics, fluid rheology, proppant and reservoir properties, and the accuracy limits of the model were set. An integral concept of hydraulic fracturing design was developed based on accurate mathematical modeling, which allows you to get the maximum production output per ton of proppant. At the same time, the versatility of the proposed scheme was achieved based on dimensionless hydraulic fracturing parameters, which makes it possible to quickly recalculate the optimal design from one reservoir conditions to others.